Mouth and Tongue

Macroglossia Definition

Macroglossia refers to enlargement of the tongue which leads to functional and cosmetic problems. It is a relatively uncommon disorder and can be congenital (present from birth) or acquired (develops in life). Speech and swallowing requires normal tongue anatomy, position and function. Any deviation from the norm can therefore cause difficulties in speech and swallowing reflex. Although the tongue size varies from person to person, it needs to be comfortably housed within the oral cavity without hampering specific functions for which is needed or utilized. In macroglossia, an enlarged tongue is technically a tongue that is bigger in size for the specific oral cavity.